Frozen Flames
by Rawr v1.0
Summary: Emberpaw, Snowpaw and Frostpaw are now proud apprentices of ThunderClan. A prophecy about them is finally beginning to be unfolded. Rated T for battles that may occur.
1. Allegiances & Prologue

**Allegiances**

**ThunderClan**

**Leader:** Tigerstar- Dark brown she-cat with black stripes and amber eyes. Although she holds the power over her Clan, she still acts like a kit and even doesn't take decision making seriously. Still, everyone likes her because of her carefree and relaxed attitude.

**Deputy:** Firestripe - Ginger tabby tom with bright amber eyes. Emberpaw's father. He acts rather serious, gruff and is a perfectionist. He takes most of Tigerstar's responsibility, though his respect for Tigerstar still hasn't faded yet.

**Medicine Cat:** Sharpwhisker - Light gray tabby she-cat with distinctive long whiskers. She has a sharp tongue, like most old cats who get cranky, and cares less about how her patients react to her bitter, smelly and stinging herbs.

Apprentice: Emberpaw

**Warriors:**

Flowerclaw - Light brown she-cat with white paws and a green left eye on blue on the other. Although once a gentle and kind apprentice, she learned how to be fierce and cold during her battles.

Fluffypelt - Black she-cat with fluffy long hair and green eyes. She cares about her Clanmates at utmost priority, though she also gets strict with them. She makes sure all of them acts properly and would usually scold kits.

Apprentice: Snowpaw

Rainpetal – White she-cat with gray paws and tail and blue eyes. Frostpaw's and Snowpaw's mother. She is very protective to her kits and would rather give up her pelt than seeing wounds on Frostpaw and Snowpaw.

Badgerfang - Brown tabby tom with large fangs and amber eyes. He's one of the friendliest cats one would ever meet. Like his sister, Tigerstar, he acts rather childish compared to his age. He acts as if everyone is at the same level as he is.

Apprentice: Frostpaw

Loudsong - Ginger tabby tom with green eyes. His name came from the his consistent complaining when he was a kit. He still acts as a noisy and loud kit even as a warrior. It would be rare to see him keep his thoughts to himself.

Apprentice: Threepaw

Oakpelt - Light brown tom with green eyes. Few patches of fur had been ripped off from his pelt because of an encounter with a fox as an apprentice. He is one of the quietest cats in the clan, but also one of the best hunters.

Sweetberry - Ginger she-cat with green eyes and with a tail as pink as a sweet piece of berry. Emberpaw's mother. Although modest and shy, she had the reputation of being able to hunt adders and defeat older warriors as an apprentice.

**Apprentices:**

Threepaw - Gray tom with green eyes and a missing claw on one of his front paws. Was once the only apprentice in ThunderClan. He's supportive of the cats younger than him, though he's too shy to express his hidden opinions. He's rather bold in front of Frostpaw and Snowpaw.

Frostpaw – Frosty white she-cat with beautiful blue eyes. Always sees things in a negative point of view. She likes to contradict everything her brother says. She's never afraid to voice her opinion out.

Snowpaw – White tom with blue eyes. Always sees things in the bright side. He's always in a hyper and cheerful feeling, even in the saddest of times. He always sees Frostpaw as an older cat and follows her most of the time like a kit to its mother.

Emberpaw – Ginger tom with far-seeing amber eyes. He usually dozes off and has problems with his attention. Despite this, he keeps his cool most of the time, though it's hard to read his expressions. He likes to be alone mostly.

**Queens:**

Doveflight – Tortoiseshell she-cat. Currently pregnant with kits. She still doesn't tell who her mate really is, but some assume that it is Oakpelt. She likes to get out of trouble most of the time and can be observed that she doesn't always volunteer on patrols.

**Elders:**

Treepelt – Brown tom with green eyes. Oldest cat in ThunderClan. He doesn't express his opinions much and can be seen sleeping mostly in their den. He's probably the crankiest cat you'd meet if disturbed.

Pinknose - Tortoiseshell she-cat with a pink nose. Kind and gentle among young cats. She's mostly a mother to all of ThunderClan and even tries to be nice when other cats annoy her.

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

A gray she-cat flicked her tail wildly around, displaying her curiosity. Her eyes widened in fear. "What would that prophecy mean, Spottedstar? They wouldn't be able to destroy their own clan if they are loyal. And furthermore, how could one of those three little kits destroy something?"

Spottedstar chuckled. Stopping to grooming his tortoiseshell fur, he replied to the question. "Don't say such nonsense Sharpwhisker. You do know that those cats would grow into powerful ThunderClan warriors. Once they grow up, one of them could be deputy, or worse, a medicine cat."

"Hey! How could I, as a medicine cat, destroy something I worked hard to keep alive?" spat Sharpwhisker, upon hearing the word 'medicine cat'.

"You could use them to claim the whole forest by saying false warnings from StarClan? Yeah, you can do that."

"Oh, shut up Spottedstar! If you weren't dead already, I'd kill you more severe than drowning." Sharpwhisker stood from her position and stretched her limbs. "I'd better get going. Come visit me in my dreams next time, Spottedstar."

"Good bye!"

Sharpwhisker jerked awake. She found herself staring at a crystal clear pool. The singing birds were above and the sunlight filtering through the trees signifying the sunrise. Quickly, she ran from the Moonpool to her Clan. _I need to tell this to Tigerstar, quick!_

Upon reaching the camp, an ordinary, but at the same time scary, sight welcomed her. ThunderClan's three kits were playing in the clearing. Though not all of them have the same parents, they were born at the same time. Since then, they have considered each other as siblings.

Suddenly, a ball of moss rolled to Sharpwhisker's feet. At the same time, all three kits came bowling their selves on the medicine cat. Moss flew everywhere, especially on Sharpwhisker. All but a single kit smiled and ran away from her right away. Emberkit stayed, looking sorry.

"I-I'm ... so...sor-sorry!"

"Why didn't you run away like your littermates instead of staying here and apologizing to me? Wouldn't you like to play with them immediately?" asked Sharpwhisker, astonished.

"Well... W-Wouldn't you... g-get happy if... we said sorry?"

Sharpwhisker made a chuckle out of Emberkit's words. "Now, run along and play with Frostkit and Snowkit. I'm sure they're making a new ball of moss to play with."

Seeing Emberkit scampering along her friends, Sharpwhisker sighed. "It's just so hard to think that one of them would destroy this Clan, especially Emberkit. He seems so strange... yet peaceful and kind..."

"What was that, Sharpwhisker?" a voice whispered in her ear.

"Gah, Tigerstar! What do you think are you doing?" she exclaimed as she jumped.

"You look like somethings bothering you. Anyway, how's your meeting with StarClan. Any good news from StarClan you'd like me to here?"

"I need to talk with you about this, alone."

Upon reaching Tigerstar's den, both she-cats sat down and tension began to rise. The happiness of the sunlight outside seemed to not reach the place. Even the usually cheerful Tigerstar seemed to get serious.

"What is it?" asked the leader.

"I... I had a prophecy to bring. 'By the time Leaf-bare freezes all, a certain cat would blaze throughout the forest and destroy anything that stands in its path... Three kits would be Apprentices by the next moon and one of them would be the chosen cat...'"


	2. The Apprenticeship

"We are gathered here beneath the Highrock to acknowledge new apprentices. By naming apprentices, we show that Thunderlan will survive and remain strong."

Tigerstar stood proudly atop the Highrock. Three kits, namely Frostkit, Snowkit and Emberkit, have their tails held high in enthusiasm of being named apprentices. Even Frostkit and Snowkit's mother, Raincloud, had to stand behind her kits to stop them from bouncing. Emberkit, however, remained quiet and stared at a fluttering butterfly.

"Snowkit, from now on you will be known as Snowpaw" Tigerstar continued. "Fluffypelt, you are ready for an apprentice, you will be Snowpaw's mentor. You have known how to be patient and persevering from your mentor and I expect you to pass on all your skills to Snowpaw, so that he may be a loyal warrior to ThunderClan."

Fluffypelt shuffled her paws, showing that she was nervous of having an apprentice, before she went to touch noses with Snowpaw. As they finished, she sighed as Snowpaw quickly ran towards the apprentice's den. After apologizing for her new apprentice, she followed Snowpaw to stop him from being too excited.

"Frostkit, from now on you will be known as Frostpaw," Tigerstar said, continuing the ceremony as if Snowpaw hadn't interrupted it. "Badgerfang, you are ready for an apprentice, and you will be Frostpaw's mentor. You became a good warrior because of Treepelt and I expect you to pass on all your skills to Frostpaw, so that she may also be loyal to our Clan."

As Frostkit and Badgerfang touch noses with each other, all of ThunderClan's cats began to chant apprentices' new names.

"Snowpaw! Frostpaw! Snowpaw! Frostpaw!"

Threepaw, an older ThunderClan apprentice, weaved his way through the crowd until he got to face Frostpaw. His eyes shone in excitement as the apprentices formally began their apprenticeship. "I've been collecting moss for this day. Come on, follow me!"

Emberkit followed Frostpaw, together with Threepaw, to the apprentice's den. He, too, was excited to see what his future den would look like. Upon entering the den, Snowpaw ran in front of him from inside and playfully bowled him out.

"You're not supposed to go here since you're not yet an apprentice!" Snowpaw teased.

"Okay," Emberkit replied, shaking the dust from his pelt.

"Wait, you're not going to react or anything?" he asked, seemingly surprised. "Oh well, at least we get to sleep without having to share our nests with you." With a rather content face, he stalked off to make a nest of his own.

What Snowpaw said made sense, at least. During the last moon, a small thorn bush that was left unattended grew up fast and was spreading throughout the nursery, leaving less space for them to sleep. If Doveflight was to have her kits, it would be needed to be destroyed.

"Don't let Snowpaw get to you," Frostpaw reassured him. "I'll save you a spot in the den, somewhere nice and better than Snowpaw's." She licked his ears before racing back to Threepaw.

Emberkit followed the apprentices with his gaze until they were out of his sight. He wanted to know how it is like to sleep in the den and what his former den-mates would do in their training. He was to wait for another moon to join them here.

"Snap out from your daze Emberpaw! You're blocking everyone's path," snapped Sharpwhisker, the clan's medicine cat. Her tail flicked several times, showing how impatient she was. Even though everyone knew about Emberkit's consistent daydreaming or dazing, the medicine cat did not show any considerations, even to a kit. "Now, follow me to the den. I have something to tell you."

"O-Okay Sharpwhisker," the kit answered, surprised by the sudden invitation of the medicine cat. Emberkit was about to follow Sharpwhisker when a sudden meow stopped him.

"Hey Emberkit, come over here!" Snowpaw yelled.

"Um, can I excuse myself for a minute?" Emberkit asked, before promptly following the new apprentice.

"You know the drill. New apprentice should get to know their territory first," Badgerfang lectured as Emberkit entered the scene. "Let's patrol from the Snakerocks to the Thunderpath, and finally back to camp. Any violent reactions?"

"Uh, and you're ordering us to do chores tomorrow morning, right?" Frostpaw broke out with a frown. "You know? Like collecting moss for the elders, searching for their ticks or something."

"Of course," Badgerfang purred, "What else do apprentices do?"

"That isn't half bad, right? At least we can get to listen to their stories." Snowpaw whispered to Emberkit, knowing that if he had said it to his sister, she would react. His sister always contradicts what he thinks.

"Okay, let's go," Fluffypelt mewed.

"Wait, can Emberkit come with us, please!" Snowpaw pleaded. He had been so attached to him because his sister wouldn't end finding faults with him.

"Uh… no," Badgerfang answered. "You know kits can't leave the camp, right? If they do, then foxes could just roam around and eat them."

"But I'll keep him close and watch over him and protect him and…"

"Just stop," Frostpaw ordered her brother. "You're just wasting our time and I already want to see our territory!"

"Aw," Snowpaw murmured as he saw Frostpaw's, as well as their mentors', disapproval. "We'll get you to join us next time, Emberkit," he told the ginger kit half-heartedly.

"It's okay," he replied. "I can do something else, anyway."

"Okay. Bye!"

Emberkit watched as his former denmates stalk away from the camp and into the ravine. It felt strange just to be alone, especially for Emberkit. Usually, he just asks either Snowpaw or Frostpaw for something to do, but now would be the time for that to change.

_Right, Sharpwhisker told me to visit her in her den. I really need to go now…_

Emberkit scampered across the whole camp, from the camp's entrance to her den. As he made it to the center of the camp, a sound of flapping wings was heard. _A hawk! _As fast as his little legs could go, he made it all the way to Sharpwhisker's den.

"You seem to be in a hurry?" the medicine cat asked.

"Have you not heard the hawk?" Emberkit yelled._ Is this medicine cat so old that he had not heard those loud flaps of wings?_

"Hawk? I don't hear any hawks."

Stunned, Emberkit decided to look back at the camp. Sharpwhisker was right! All cats were doing their tasks as if they have not heard the hawk. Emberkit shook his head. _Maybe I'm just imagining things. Maybe there was no hawk after all._

"Are you alright?" Sharpwhisker asked.

Emberkit nodded blankly before asking, "Why did you call me for anyway?"

"I have something to discuss with you, Emberkit," the medicine cat started. "It is something that we should keep as a secret and I don't want anyone to know about this…"


	3. The Trauma

A cold and refreshing leaf-fall breeze blew straight to Snowpaw's face. A gust of wind like that was different from the ones he felt inside the camp. The camp was surrounded by trees, bushes and brambles, unlike the ravine, where one can freely sense the wind. Snowpaw took a glance back at the ThunderClan camp. This will be their first time out of it and surely, they will have a good time exploring the forest they once only dreamed to see.

Snowpaw looked at his sister, Frostpaw, to see how she had reacted. An eager smile formed on her face, something that happens rarely. Her whiskers twitched with excitement and her tail was held up high. He was happy to see that both of them would be visiting their Clan's borders together. It would only be a matter of time before their mentors will teach them about other Clans like RiverClan and ShadowClan, as well as the good places for hunting in their territory.

"Okay, let's get moving!" Badgerfang told the rest of the group. "We do not have the rest of the day to keep waiting here." The warrior rounded up the apprentices from the top of the ravine and started to lead the patrol towards their destination. The warrior looked up in the sky before going, trying to figure out if there would any chances of rain. By the signal of his tail, all of them began walking, with the mentors leading them and the apprentices behind.

"We're going to the Snakerocks first, right?" Snowpaw asked to his mentor as she led the way, together with Badgerfang.

"Yes," Fluffypelt replied. "Remember that we will not be hunting for adders today and you should not be charging straight into trouble without our permission. "

"Do adders kill cats?" the pesky apprentice asked again.

"Yes, if you aren't careful," Fluffypelt answered.

"Is it true that there are badgers living there?" Snowpaw asked further.

"Sometimes, they do. Sometimes, not," his mentor answered.

"Why is it a part of our territory if it is dangerous?" Snowpaw pestered.

"Because it gives us prey," Fluffypelt answered, beginning to get annoyed by the apprentice's continuous questions.

"How can there be prey in a place full like Snakerocks?"

"How can an apprentice like you keep on talking like that?" Snowpaw heard his sister, Frostpaw, interrupted. She, too, had probably been annoyed with his Snowpaw's unending questions. The apprentice glanced around the patrol. Fluffypelt just sighed with her apprentice's actions and Badgerfang, who kept on letting out a giggle, was trying to hide his amusement. Embarassed by his actions, Snowpaw just kept his mouth shut.

"...and we're here!" Badgerfang announced. Snowpaw rushed forward to see the Snakerocks, pushing Fluffypelt and Badgerfang in the process. Their territory they have only heard from the warriors and apprentices was finally in front of him. If he was to learn their territory, Snakerocks would be his first step. He began running straight towards the adder-infested area, wishing to find a snake or two to mark the occasion.

"Snowpaw, stop!" came a halting cry. Snowpaw froze from his paws, his tail and whiskers not moving an inch. After a moment of waiting, the apprentice turned his head around and saw his sister frozen in fear with Fluffypelt running towards him. Like Frostpaw, he got scared. _Why is there a scared look in Frostpaw and Fluffypelt's faces?_

A loud thump woke Snowpaw's senses. The apprentice turned his head back again and saw a dead snake, blood flowing from all over its head. Above it, Badgerfang, with the adder's tail nipped firmly in his teeth, puffed his chest with great pride swelling on him. Snowpaw's heartbeat beat faster. Fear filled him as quick as an escaping rabbit. He would be so close in joining the StarClan cats if Badgerfang was not there to save him.

"Are you alright, Snowpaw?" come a concerned voice of Fluffypelt as she was followed by Frostpaw. Both she-cats showed signs of worry, but Fluffypelt looked more distraught. Soon, she was sniffing her apprentice's fur for wounds, but fortunately, there wasn't. "A warrior should learn how to follow orders from a more experienced warrior," she scolded, taking a break from inspecting Snowpaw. "That's why I said that you shouldn't be hunting adders."

"Here, take this," Badgerfang said, dropping the dead adder in front of Snowpaw's paws. "I save you from it while you carry it home for me to brag about. It's a win-win situation."

"Badgerfang! This isn't something to be joked about," Fluffypelt scolded. "Can't you see Snowpaw had been scared already?"

"Sorry, but Snowpaw needs some sort of punishment, right?" Badgerfang argued.

"You're right, but..."

Their conversation faded in Snowpaw's ears. His eyes were as wide as the moon with fright. This event isn't something that can be forgotten easily, especially to a cat as young as him. He even had to be saved by a warrior. _At least I'm still alive, right? _He tried to convince himself. _Even if I had to carry this heavy piece of fresh-kill, at least I can still be a warrior._

A gentle nudge from his sister got him aware of his surroundings once again. "Hey, it's not that bad?" his sister remarked. She pawed his face like she always did in the nursery. "What happened to your 'always-happy-even-if-something-bad-happens attitude? I liked you that way." She turned silent, before adding something else to her comment. "On second thought, I think I like your name to be changed into Gloomypaw."

"No, you'd not!" Snowpaw screamed. _How dare she try to change my name? Snowpaw is fine as it is. _"I'd allow you to change my name if you allow yours to be changed to Frostkit again. Being Gloomypaw is better than waiting for six moons again." A smile formed on his face again, as if he had already forgotten the earlier incident with the adder.

"Waiting for six moons again is worth it. I'd rather be Frostkit again than to have a ridiculous warrior name like Gloomyheart or Gloomyfur," Frostpaw retorted.

"Oh, look! Here they go again!" Badgerfang commented. Frostpaw and Snowpaw were once famous to be the only littermates to argue over anything since birth. Their quarrel only means that Snowpaw had gotten over the adder too soon. Badgerfang smiled as he turned to Fluffypelt. "Good luck with Snowpaw. He's going to be a pawful."

"You're lucky to have Frostpaw," Fluffypelt answered. "You'll have someone to watch you now."

"Hey, that's too much!" Badgerfang argued. "Besides, you'll need not to worry about me. Worry about yourself when Snowpaw rushes into the Thunderpath."

Fluffypelt sighed. "You're right."

"Shall we get going?" Badgerfang asked. The apprentices had stopped bickering with each other and started to attentively listen to their mentors. "Okay, let's head to the Thunderpath for now," he instructed. "Don't forget to stay close to us and don't rush in unexpectedly into unfamiliar places. And also, beware stay nowhere near the black stuff."

As the patrol left, Snowpaw picked up the adder and followed his mentor, who was leading with Badgerfang. Although the adder kept on tripping his feet, he couldn't help but get excited about the Thunderpath. Furthermore, he kept on imagining himself, learning about other things and even taking an adventure, in the future.


	4. The Moonstone

The wet and swampy dirt damped the ginger cat's paws, soiling the once downy kitten fur. A heavy rain that occurred earlier moistened the surroundings, making every blade of grass and leaves glisten at the half-moon. Stars from the Silverpelt sparkled brightly above the cat's head, as if his ancestors were welcoming their presence beneath the great wide night sky.

A sudden cold gust of wind blew across the scene when a light-gray tabby spoke. "The others have been very late this night," she remarked. "My bones are already shivering from the cold while they are still back at their camps, enjoying the warmth of their nests." She shivered as another blow of the evening wind came across her. "Let's take shelter from one of these oak trees, Emberpaw. We could wait there for those lazy cats."

The apprentice, knowing that his mentor would get angry if he didn't, followed Sharpwhisker to a hollow beneath one of the four mighty oaks. The Fourtrees had always been the meeting place of the medicine cats every half moon. This would be the first meeting Emberpaw would attend and hopefully, he will meet an apprentice medicine cat like him. Unlike ordinary warriors, medicine cats have the privilege to stay friendly with each other.

Emberpaw sighed. It was almost a moon since Snowpaw and Frostpaw became warrior apprentices. He became a medicine cat, unlike them. Although he didn't like the idea at first, he learned to accept that this was his path, like what Sharpwhisker said. If he would compare his situation with his friends, his is definitely more pleasurable. He wouldn't like to be in an apprentice's condition, especially after seeing how Snowpaw and Frostpaw get hardly any sleep.

For the past few days, Snowpaw had been quite jumpy since his first day of becoming a 'paw'. Everytime Frostpaw's mentor, Badgerfang, places the body of the dead adder he caught near the apprentice, Snowpaw runs away. Fluffypelt often scolds Badgerfang each time he does that. Since then, the two of them train their apprentices together. It may be a good thing because, if Snowpaw and Frostpaw were put together in a same place, they'll never finish anything.

A couple of days before Emberpaw's apprentice ceremony, Sharpwhisker talked him into taking the path of a medicine cat. The old medicine cat said something about a prophecy clearly pointing to him and that she should monitor him. Although Emberpaw didn't remember most of Sharpwhisker's words, he still got half of the message. _It's something about fire burning the whole forest while everything is frozen and cold, right? _Emberpaw tried to recall.

"Hey! Sharpwhisker, we're here!"

"Ugh, RiverClan cats, they're always the loud ones," Sharpwhisker muttered under her breath. Emberpaw wasn't sure if the newcomers had heard the cranky medicine cat's comments. "That noisy cat is Birchleaf," Sharpwhisker told his apprentice. "He's a chatty one for a medicine cat. His conversations always last for moons, so do not ever try to talk with him," she warned.

Emberpaw tried to observe Birchleaf. He had a sleek and fluffy gray pelt and he looked too fat compared to the ThunderClan cats. He always believed that RiverClan cats are fat because of fish, but he didn't know they were true. His pelt smelled of various herbs and berries, like he had just finished taking care of an injured warrior. He hid behind Sharpwhisker as he noticed Birchleaf coming near him.

"...and who's this, Sharpwhisker?" Birchleaf asked. "Is he your new apprentice? What's his name?"

"Emberpaw," Sharpwhisker answered abruptly. Her tail was beginning to twitch in annoyance.

"Do you think he'd be as good as Mousepaw?" Birchleaf questioned further. "She was a prodigy as a medicine cat apprentice, I tell you. It took her only a season to memorize all the herbs and their uses. Too bad you previous apprentice..."

Birchleaf was silenced with a glare by Sharpwhisker. She was obviously getting bothered with the topic about Mousepaw. Sharpwhisker face had shown a distressed and cheerless expression when her previous apprentice was mentioned. Disturbed with Birchleaf, Sharpwhisker tried to change the subject. "When will you stop talking, Birchleaf? You sound like a cheeky apprentice." Sharpwhisker's ears perked up, then she added, "Look, we haven't notice the others because of your noisy chattering!"

Emberpaw whipped his head to the direction of the sounds of the incoming cats. Their pawsteps sounded weird and squishy from the wet soil and their constant muttering filled the forest. The apprentice estimated that there were about three cats travelling together. It seems like the ShadowClan and WindClan medicine cats travelled together despite the light drizzle.

"Where's Grayfall?" the WindClan medicine cat asked Birchleaf and Sharpwhisker as their small group reached Fourtrees. The SkyClan medicine cat was the only one left before they continue to travel to Mothermouth and talk to their warrior ancestors. "Who's this?" the medicine cat asked as she noticed Sharpwhisker's new apprentice.

"Sorry, Patchnose got a sore back earlier," the last medicine cat apologized as she ran through the swamped ground, splashing the mud around as her paws hit the land. She stopped just in front of the small gathering of cats, panting from her run from SkyClan's camp to the Fourtrees, and began to groom her matted and dirty fur. "Oh, is he your new apprentice?" she asked, becoming aware of Emberpaw's presence.

"His name is Emberpaw," Sharpwhisker finally answered. "I'm training him to be a medicine cat before I finally retire." Sharpwhisker then pointed her nose to the others, introducing them to Emberpaw. "The newcomer's Grayfall. The one over there is Rockpelt and his apprentice, Cloudpaw," Sharpwhisker said, pointing to the ShadowClan cats. "The ginger one is Robinflight and you already know Birchleaf." The old medicine cat got up from the roots of the oak tree and started to lead the other cats. "Let's go to Mothermouth now, before the rain pours again."

As they began to move, Cloudpaw, the ShadowClan medicine cat apprentice, kept her pace with Emberpaw. "Hi, I'm Cloudpaw," she introduced herself.

"Sharpwhisker already told me your name," Emberpaw answered grimly.

"Don't be so cold," Cloudpaw commented. "It's nice to become your acquaintance. I thought I would get my medicine cat name without having someone to share my training with."

Emberpaw wasn't listening to Cloudpaw, but when a sudden thought crossed his mind, he asked, "What does the Moonstone look like?"

"I guess I can call it a shiny rock, but it's more than that," Cloudpaw explained. "After you have entered the Mothermouth, you will have to walk through a very dark and narrow tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, you can see the Moonstone. You should see it when the moonlight shines on it. It's really a beautiful sight to see!"

_Ugh, another cat like that Birchleaf! Are medicine cats always like this?_ Emberpaw had longed to tell his thoughts, but he still kept them. Having enemies of other medicine cats aren't nice. "Do you really fall asleep the moment you touch the Moonstone?"

"Yes," Cloudpaw chirped. "It's a bit cold at first, but you'll get used to it."

"Are the StarClan cats the only cats you see when you sleep?"

"Of cour-"

Cloudpaw's answer was muffled Birchleaf's excited mew. "I think I can see the Mothermouth from here. Let's hurry. I know Emberpaw is excited about his approval of being a medicine cat by StarClan."

Birchleaf raced towards the Mothermouth, located at a ditch at the bottom of the hill they were at. Small pebbles rattled down the base of the Mothermouth and clouds of dust were scattered everywhere with each step Birchleaf made. The young medicine cat never made any indications of waiting for the others.

The rest of the medicine cats gave a sigh and decided to follow the RiverClan medicine cat. Birchleaf was being too excited, and Emberpaw couldn't imagine another medicine cat being as immature and childish as him. Instead of chasing the eager Birchleaf, they remained in a slow pace, carefully avoiding the dusts and dirt from clinging into their wet and thick pelts.

One by one, the medicine cats all approached the Mothermouth and slowly made their way to the tunnel inside it. Emberpaw decided to go just after Sharpwhisker, so he could have someone to guide the way. As he entered the tunnel, cold wind welcomed him and the darkness slowly consumed everything he could see. He, then, hoped that Cloudpaw wasn't right about what she said.

"Are you alright?" Cloudpaw asked from behind Emberpaw.

Emberpaw shrugged, though he doubts that Cloudpaw couldn't even see him. As they went deeper through the tunnel, the air grew more coldly and the walls and the ceiling gave less space. Only Emberpaw's whiskers brushing at the walls and Sharpwhisker's scent guided him all the way to the Moonstone. The tunnel leading to the Moonstone was so cramped and narrow; Emberpaw thought that a fat kittypet wouldn't be able to fit in.

Finally, light filtered at the end of the tunnel and Emberpaw could see again. In front of him lies a great and large piece of rock. The light from the moon is reflected by the Moonstone, giving it a nice ambient glow. Emberpaw was so amazed that he forgot what they came there for. For him, the beauty of the rock was so mesmerizing, as if it was the most beautiful thing in the forest.

"Emberpaw, is it your wish to enter into the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?" Sharpwhisker said, breaking the silence from the Mothermouth and officially starting her apprentice's ceremony. The old medicine cat looked young once again with pride and joy. Someone can finally precede her from her previous rank in the clan.

"I-It is!" Emberpaw answered.

"Warriors of StarClan, I present you this apprentice," Sharpwhisker announced, looking up to Silverpelt. "He has chosen the path of the medicine cat. Grant her your wisdom and insights so that he may understand your ways and heal his Clan in accordance with your will." The medicine cat bowed her head and pointed her nose to the Moonstone. "Lie down here, and press your nose against the stone."

Emberpaw did as he was told. He touched the Moonstone with his nose and felt a sudden chill to his bones. For Emberpaw, it was as cold as ice and as piercing as a thistle. Soon after his nose made contact with the stone, his eyes began to feel heavy and he was in a deep slumber.

A faint breeze woke Emberpaw up. He got up to his paws and looked around him. It was dark, like inside the Mothermouth, but there were no cave walls or Moonstones around him. The sky was dark and the ground was swamped by murky water. Dead willow trees surround the area and a reeking smell of blood filled the area. Emberpaw couldn't believe what he was seeing for StarClan grounds couldn't be this dark and gloomy.

"Is this really... StarClan?" he asked himself.


End file.
